Brighter Days || Taekook

Part 7

At 1 a.m., when Taehyung's too exhausted to continue practice and even Jimin complains about the aching bones in his body, the other boy treats him to ice cream. Taehyung gets a scoop of vanilla and one of chocolate (Jimin teasingly calls him boring for that and chooses watermelon and skittles) and it tastes like heaven. Even though the air is cold and his old coat isn't particularly suited for fending it off, the ice cream is delicious. Maybe that's because Taehyung hasn't had any in so long. Had ice cream always been this creamy?

They find a bench under a tree facing the street. The traffic isn't all that bad at this time of day and only few cars pass by. It feels odd to sit and watch them with the knowledge that Taehyung won't have to get in any tonight.

"I'm really curious, so I hope you don't mind me asking, but how exactly did you get into BTS? They've been trying to find trainees that might be a good fit for such a long time now and you came along from out of nowhere." It's a question Jimin asks after a few minutes of comfortable silence, both of them sitting beside each other and just watching, observing their surroundings.

"Someone who knows Bang PD-nim heard me sing and decided that I just might be what they need," Taehyung supplies. It's not exactly a lie, just selective honesty; Mr. Kim really did hear him sing and introduced him to the head of the company.

"Lucky you," Jimin whistles. "You must be really talented then. Being part of Bangtan must be amazing. The other guys seem so cool. I don't talk to them all that much, but they have this aura that's just really impressive, know what I mean?"

Intimidating is what Taehyung would call it, but he doesn't comment.

"So you tried for a spot on the team as well?"

Jimin shakes his head, his eyes widening as if the mere thought was ridiculous.

"Oh no, I'm really not that good. I came to Big Hit to hopefully grow as an artist, but I doubt I have the talent to debut anytime soon, let alone with a group like yours."

"I'm not an official member either," Taehyung murmurs. "It's more like a trial. If I fit, I'm in, and if I don't, then I'll leave the company again."

Speaking the truth makes his ice cream only taste half as sweet.

"That's really odd. Why don't you stay a trainee at Big Hit if it doesn't work out?"

Taehyung shrugs his shoulders. Because he's not good enough to be a normal trainee, maybe. He just fits the type of concept Bangtan Sonyeondan goes for, the rough around the edges hip-hop theme.

"I entered the agency easily, so I can be rejected just as easily," he muses. The thought fills him with dread, "Easy come, easy go."

"That sucks."

Taehyung can only agree to that.

They finish their ice cream in mostly silence, but this time around, an awkward tension hangs in the air. Taehyung's itching to find a topic to talk about so he can get his mind off of all the thoughts inside his head, but their conversation just about always falls flat after they exchange only a few words.

Around 1 a.m. Jimin takes his leave, with the excuse of school the next day. When he finds out that no, Taehyung does not in fact go to school, he grumbles about how some people have all the luck in the world.

Taehyung would love to correct him, but he bites his tongue. They exchange numbers and promises to repeat this night sometime soon before Jimin leaves Taehyung behind, on a bench on a cold February night.

Although he should go back to the dorm soon because it's already late and he has to practice again tomorrow, Taehyung stays on that bench for another half hour, his mind racing with thoughts. They circle around the members of Bangtan Sonyeondan and Jimin, and occasionally when he sees a car that resembles one of his regular client's, he'll think about prostitution as well. It's still all too much to take in, the knowledge that he might not have to return back to the street corner anymore.